Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-01-11

ually makes rates, and they are also made
under din rent circumstances and conditions
from those which govern and determine the
rates made over single railrOat. The two
transactions arc separate and d dlstlnCt, neither
beng necessar governed by the other.
furthermore the u,aking of joint through
rates Is rlhcatly rec guiIed by the bal IN
The section requiring pubhcly OF rates. and
nowhere in the bin can anything
he found in relation to the division of the
Joint rate by connecting roads, | am satisfied,
therefore, that the only con ~tructlon that Is
warranted UY the Language of the section is
theoue have given It, aud that Irstead of re-
curing rates to be measured By the percent
age OF through rates VIII Gu road accepts, or
OF requiring through rates over connecting
roads TO be an aggregation OF local rates over
each road, "a some have g aimed, The section
as 1t stands simply requires that each rail
road company shall observe the short haul
prlnciple as to its own rates land that the same
principle snail also be observed by ComOl-
nation of railroads as to Il Joint through rate
between paints upou their roads agreed upon
by such combination.
THE FOURTH SECTION.
In reply to an inquiry from Mr.. Hoar,
MIR. CullOm stated that there was no
question but that every member of the
conference committee of both houses was
unqualiiedly of the opin on that the
fourth section was not to be continued as
pro rata per ton or per distance law,
but as prohibition to charge In the az
gregate a larger amount for shorter
than longer distance. One of the ele-
ments in the obj ction TO the bill was mis-
Interpretation Of the fourth section.
There seemed to be a determina-
ton on the part of those who
wanted no legislation to show that this
section was pro rata per mile section.
he undertook TO say that no member Of
the conference committee ever dreamed
that the language OF the fourth section
could be SO construed.
Mr.. George asked whether Mr.. Cullom
meant that the fourth section was not to
apply where circumstances and con-
ditons were not exactly sImilar-for in
stance where one point was competitive
and the other was not.
Mr.. Cullom said ne meant this: There
was railroad line between Washington
and New York. 1t had its schedule of
rates under this bill, and so far as referred
tn the operation OF its own road (not in
connection with other llnes) that road
you'd not be a liberty to charge more
or shorter distance between its terminI
(under Ike circumstances aud cOudi-
tlOns, th an it charged tor the full distance.
WOULD AMOUNT TO NOTHING.
MIR. George said that he bad understood
that the Senator made a distinction be-
tween competitive and nOn-competitive
points. as affecting the question Of ''like
circumstances and conditions"
Mr.. Cullom said that he did so.
MIR. George said that il he believed that
that was the meaning which the courts
would attach to it be would vote against
the bill, because with that construction
tle provision of the Jill in regard 81 long
| and short nauls would amount to nothing
| MIR. Cullom remarked that if it amount
| ed to nothing 1t would not hurt any
| body.
Mr.. George remarked that he did not
want to hurt anybody, but he wanted to
save somebody by a substantial provis-
| ion.
Mr.. Cullom said so did he, and he did
not want to humbug anybody either !?
| Those words, ''under like circumstances
| and conditions" j" were placed in the origi
nal dill by unanimous vote of the Sen
! ate.
| Mr.. George said he did not object
/ to the words. but he did object
| to the Interpretation which the Senator
from Illinois puts upon them. He did not
believe that that was true and legti-
mate interpretat alton, and he protested
! against this bill going through the Senate
| with an authoritative exposition or inter-
| pretation OF the meaning Of these words
| such as is given by the Senator from Illi-
| nois.
WHY THEY WERE INSERTED.
MIR. Cullom said the Senator from Mis-
! sissippi had right to put any construc-
! tiOn he chooses on the words. They were
| put into the original bill by the Senate be-
cause the section without them was too
rigid and it was feared that it would In
tertere with the general com merce OF the
! country. They were put there TO mean
! something, and they did mean something.
| Mr. George said he hoped they did not
mean what the Senator said they meant.
| Mr.. Cuilom said they meaut just what
they said. Railroad companies snail not
/ charge more for a shorter distance on the
same line, in the same direction, under
substantially similar circumstances and
| conditions than for a longer distance,
| and those circumstances and conditions
may be (if the senator pleased that one
| is competitive point and that the other
| is not. The other that at one place there
| is a very large amount of business done,
| aud at the other place, perhaps, not more
than a carload per month.
Mr.. George said that construction of 1t
| did away with the beneficial part OF the
| bill.
Mr.. Harris explained and defended the
! fourth section OF the bill upon the same
/ line as that followed by Mr.. Culiom.
| MIR. Stanford followed in long argu-
ment against the bill, which he said would
| work Determinations against railroads
and in favor Of waterways. He sal d
Mr.. sTANFoRD's ARGUMENT.
This bill denies TO railroad the right TO
charge less for q greater distance than for Il
shorter. / do not suppose that any railroad
| com any ever carried freight or pa ,sengers
| for longer distance for less than Tor a
! shorter. unless competition or some other cir
| cumstance beyond The control Of the company
| compelled. The only alternative would Oe o
! Yield business. II is q principle In good rail-
| roadlng to reject no business that offers IL / /
| IN possibly be done. 80 long as 10 will
| pay The additional expense consequent upon
! It's own movement. very large portion Of
| the trutl!c Of the country Is done below
! average cost. The competition be-
! tween the difficulties Of rail and water
/ communication, were that the rates
! at winch railroad may do business depend
upon variety Of circumstances differing for
every roai. such as the len9th Of road. grades
volume Of bus ness, cost Of fuel, etc anu yet q,
he said, the roads least favored by these CIR
cumstanccs must carry rs cheaply as those
most favored.
TuE OVERLAND BAROMETER.
All overland lines OF railroad nnd
their rates very largely controlled q
Influenced by the routes by way Of the 18th
mus OF Panama and OF Cape Horn. Meeting
that competition and being willing 20 accept
a small profit where a larger cannot be had.
they carry along the line between two cX-
treme points the same character OF freight at
less rates than 1t ~ carried from east to west